Closed die forged bop bonnet housing and method

Abstract

A closed die method and resulting apparatus comprising a forged BOP bonnet with two end caps, a cylinder therebetween and a flange that interconnects the two end caps and the cylinder where a parting line created between the two dies is formed within the flange or at least near the flange of the BOP bonnet. This process optimizes grain flow and material properties for superior strength of the BOP bonnet.

1 . A closed die method of forging a BOP bonnet, comprising heating metal to be forged into the BOP bonnet;
 positioning the metal to be forged between a first die and a second die;   moving the first die with respect to the second die toward the metal to be forged to hammer the metal to be forged repeatedly to form a first end cap, a second end cap, a cylinder between the first end cap and the second end cap, and a flange that connects to the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder; and   wherein the first die and the second die form a parting line wherein the parting line is wholly contained inside of the flange.   
     
     
         2 . The closed die method of  claim 1 , wherein a minimum distance between the parting line and a furthermost end of the first end cap or the second end cap is at least twelve inches. 
     
     
         3 . The closed die method of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder comprise rounded surfaces, the first end cap and the second end cap are elongated, the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder extend away from the flange. 
     
     
         4 . The closed die method of  claim 2 , wherein a minimum distance between the parting line and a furthermost end of the first end cap or the second end cap is at least twenty inches. 
     
     
         5 . The closed die method of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder comprises a larger diameter than the first end cap and the second end cap. 
     
     
         6 . The closed die method of  claim 5 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . A closed die method of forging a BOP bonnet, comprising:
 heating metal to be forged;   positioning the metal to be forged between a first die and a second die;   moving the first die with respect to the second die toward the metal to be forged to hammer the metal to be forged repeatedly to form a first end cap, a second end cap, a cylinder between the first end cap and the second end cap, and a flange that connects to the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder; and   wherein the first die and the second die form a parting line that extends around the BOP bonnet, all of the parting line around the BOP bonnet being positioned at least twelve inches from a furthermost end of both the first end cap and the second end cap.   
     
     
         8 . The closed die method of  claim 7 , comprising the first die and the second die forming the parting line to extend through the flange. 
     
     
         9 . The closed die method of  claim 7 , comprising the first die and the second die forming the parting line to be completely contained within the flange. 
     
     
         10 . The closed die method of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder comprise rounded surfaces, the first end cap and the second end cap are elongated, the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder extend away from the flange. 
     
     
         11 . The closed die method of  claim 8 , wherein a minimum distance between the parting line and a furthermost end of the first end cap or the second end cap is at least twenty inches. 
     
     
         12 . The closed die method of  claim 7 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . A closed die method of forging a BOP bonnet, comprising:
 providing a parting line for a first die and a second die such that the first die comprises a first die volume sufficient to contain between zero and twenty-five percent of metal to be forged, the parting line also being such that the second die comprises a second die volume sufficient to contain between seventy-five and one-hundred percent of the metal to be forged;   positioning the metal to be forged into the BOP bonnet between the first die and the second die; and   moving the first die with respect to the second die toward the metal to be forged to fashion the metal to be forged into a first end cap, a second end cap, a cylinder between the first end cap and the second end cap, and a flange that connects to the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder.   
     
     
         14 . The closed die method of  claim 13 , comprising providing the parting line between the first die and the second die such that the first die volume is sufficient to contain between zero and thirty-five percent of the metal to be forged, the parting line also being such that the second die volume is sufficient to contain between sixty-five and one-hundred percent of the metal to be forged. 
     
     
         15 . A BOP bonnet forged in accord with the method of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         16 . A closed die forged BOP bonnet that is formed of forged metal, comprising,
 a first end cap and a second end cap comprised of the forged metal, a cylinder comprised of the forged metal that is positioned between the first end cap and the second end cap, a flange comprised of the forged metal that connects with the first end cap, the second end cap and the cylinder, and a parting line formed between the two dies that extends within the flange.   
     
     
         17 . The closed die forged BOP bonnet of  claim 16 , wherein a minimum distance between the parting line and a furthermost end of the first end cap or the second end cap is at least twelve inches. 
     
     
         18 . The closed die forged BOP bonnet of  claim 16 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the first end cap, the second end cap, and the cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . A BOP bonnet forged in accord with the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A BOP bonnet forged in accord with the method of  claim 7 .